Conferences: The Big South Conference has accepted Virginia Military Institute's application for membership, making it the 10th Big South Conference school. VMI currently is a member of the Southern Conference. "This decision by VMI is a bold stroke," said Big South Commissioner Kyle B. Kallander. "VMI studied the move carefully and objectively, and made the decision it felt was best for the institution. I am confident that time will reflect the wisdom of VMI's courageous action." VMI boasts 10 Big South championship sports, including seven men's (football, basketball, baseball, cross country, indoor track, outdoor track and soccer) and three women's (cross country, indoor track and outdoor track). Women's soccer is expected to be added as early as fall 2003.

Milestones: University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, head men's basketball coach Nolan Richardson recorded his 500th career victory December 10 with an 89-74 victory over the University of North Carolina, Greensboro. In 22 years as a head coach, Richardson is 500-194 (.720), including a 381-157 (.708) mark in 17 seasons at Arkansas. "I didn't realize how big a milestone it was until today (December 10), when coach (Don) Haskins (his former college coach at the University of Texas at El Paso) called me. He said, 'You will have 500 wins, hopefully, after tonight.' The big deal is being able to coach so long. I want to thank all my teams and players, and this year's team. All those 500 victories were honest victories. Right now, I'm having the most fun of my life." ... St. Cloud State University men's ice hock ey coach Craig Dahl won his 350th game as a college coach December 14 at Bemidji State University. His victory the next day against Bemidji State was his 275th win at St. Cloud State. Dahl now owns a 351-332-41 career record that spans 21 years. He is 275-245-39 in 15 seasons at St. Cloud State.

Miscellaneous: The NCAA, CBS Sports and DirecTV have announced a one-year extension to their agreement, allowing DirecTV to offer out-of-market broadcasts supplemental to CBS's national coverage of the Division I Men's Basketball Championship exclusively through the DirecTV service. For the fourth straight year, the agreement provides subscribers with access to as many as 37 first- and second-round games, and regional semifinal games. DirecTV must still black out games in selected areas; for example, a game that is being aired on the CBS affiliate in a selected market will be blacked out on DirecTV in that market. But unlike in previous years, DirecTV now will be able to offer coverage of the blacked-out game if CBS decides to switch to another contest ... University of Oklahoma defensive back Roy Williams won the Bronko Nagurski Trophy as the top collegiate defensive player, edging Julius Peppers of the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. Williams, a first-team all-Big 12 Conference pick and consensus all-American, led Oklahoma to a 10-2 record and a berth in the Cotton Bowl. He had five interceptions and four sacks this season. The other finalists for the Nagurski Trophy, given annually by the Charlotte Touchdown Club and the Football Writers Association of America, were Oklahoma linebacker Rocky Calmus, University of Florida defensive end Alex Brown, and Syracuse University defensive end Dwight Freeney ... The Associated Press has named University of Maryland, College Park, head football coach Ralph Friedgen as its coach of the year. In his first year at the Maryland helm, Friedgen led the Terps to a 10-1 record and a berth in the FedEx Orange Bowl.

-- Compiled by Gary T. Brown